And I Wept No More
by LeBookworm
Summary: ONESHOT Elizabeth Masen's thought on the last days of her life, her husband, her son -- and the doctor that would change it all.


**A/N: My version of Edward's past...hope you like it...**

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My son is all I have left...he's the only reason I awaken in the morning. My hope, my light, the light that fights away the darkness that threatens to overwhelm my mind.

My name is Elizabeth Masen, my husband Edward has died. The influenza that had claimed so many others had claimed him. He was a doctor at the hospital and one day, he came back...coughing violently. He coughed up blood! That night, a high fever took over and he shook. I had to take him to the hospital...and too soon I had contracted that horrible disease as well. But that was not my mistake, my mistake was going back to the house to get the papers and clothes that my husband needed.

My son, Edward, helped me. He got too close when I nearly fainted, he helped me to the bed and checked my temperature, by that time, fever had broken in. In a delirious vision, I knew what I had done...I had doomed my son.

My son soon took me to the hospital, where we soon discovered that my husband had died. I fainted dead away.

As I woke up, I looked around, I was lying on a cot, my son resting his head on my hand. My beautiful son, I loved him so...he was always so considerate and empathetic, when I was sad, angry, or frustrated...he always seemed to know how I felt and comforted me. When I needed something, he always knew somehow and gave it to me...almost as if he knew what the thoughts in my head were. But I did not judge him, I loved him for it. He was my treasure, I wanted to keep him forever.

I was always a selfish creature, I loved to collect, to keep. I hoarded my childhood dolls, my piano...and now, I hoarded my son. I kept him away from the war, each year, begging that he would remain at my side. Now, I would lose him...just as I lost my wonderful husband.

When I met my husband, I saw that he was kind and loving. He was a good man...I was fortunate to marry a man like that, not many men were patient enough to understand my love of collecting. My husband was a remarkable man...he stayed by me when I grew weak with childbed fever. He could have abandoned me when the doctors told us I would never again concieve another child (but that was just as well...Edward was the best son we could've wished for). He never judged or swayed in his love for me. And now, he's passed away, I have nothing left, save my son...and I must save him, keep him, at any cost...

Just then, a doctor came into the room. He was a handsome man, with an angelic face framed by golden curls, with golden eyes. I saw that he was a good man, but something told me to fear him, that there was darkness in him that no light could ever reach...

"Hello madam, I am Dr. Cullen. I worked alongside your husband...I'm truly sorry for his loss...he was a good man."

Of course, my husband had spoken of this man and his skills as a doctor, many of the people he doctored became well again. This gave me hope. I smiled at him and nodded towards my son, telling him to tend to Edward now. By this time, I could feel the fever taking over his body, ravaging it, weakening it...

Dr. Cullen briskly walked over and placed a hand on my son's forehead. The hand was pale -- paler than my own had ever been, I thought, vaguely jealous that my own skin never reached that alabaster tone.

The doctor looked worried and gently pulled my son up. I wondered how he could've done this, the man was even more slight that my son, such a feat...

He placed my son onto the cot next to me. I watched as I saw my son sleep, his skin pale.

They told me he had contracted influenza...and I wept. Eyes opened and the green orbs revealed themselves. Even then, my son turned and smiled, his eyes understanding and comforting, he whispered,

"Mother, please do not worry. I'll always be here for --," he stopped, hacking coughs choked him.

I stared worriedly as he closed his eyes in a brief grimace of pain, a new sheen of sweat adoring his face. I turned away and wept.

* * *

Dr. Cullen was our frequent doctor now. He visited us everyday, checking the progress of our symptoms. He was handsome, smart, and he was perfect. He was flawless in every way. I also had noticed his eyes...they changed--from honeyed amber, to golden topaz, to the black of night--every so often. It was then that I remembered.

I thought back to my childhood in Italy, when the village crone would sit and tell tales of the days of old. The children listened, fascinated by her tales...she spoke of the burning of witches, the mischievousness of the faeries on Midsummer's Eve, and the tales of the ones that could not die...the vampyres. Most of the adults would scoff and laugh at her tales...but no one believed as we children did.

I remembered back to when she spoke of them. She told us of their monstrous beauty, their cold skin, their thirst for blood, their aversion of the day...she told to of their immunity to sicknesses and death. They would live forever...

As a child, I feared of these creatures of the night, but now, as I look into Dr. Cullen, I saw him for who he was...a beautiful angel...one who wanted to be good, to be human. I thought of blood...how it must tempt him each day. But his restraint made me wonder. I began to trust him.

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I watched my son begin die, though he would never cry out from the pain or headaches I _knew_ he suffered from. He would worry about _me_, and I wept. I wept out of helplessness, I wept out of pain, I wept because the knowledge that my son would die was too much...

I would crawl out of the cot and hold his hand; he burned with fever, I wept bitterly.

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One day, I knew in my heart that I would die...and when I did, so would Edward, he would lose his chance at a life I could never give him...a life that I had kept from him by keeping him with me. I'd made my decision.

Dr. Cullen had walked in and I looked at him with all the strength I had left...I had to tell him that Edward must be saved, that Edward must live...and that Dr. Cullen must do it.

"Save him!" my voice rasped.

He took my hand...his cold hands burned against my feverish skin. Again, I tried to tell him,

"You must-" I lost breath, but I had to try again, "You _must_ do everything in your power to save him! What others cannot do, you must do for my Edward!"

Even as I spoke, I felt my body weakening, but I would not give up, I clutched his hand tightly, not letting go, and stared into his golden eyes, letting him know that he could do it...that I had entrusted my most precious treasure with him...then I slipped into darkness...

* * *

I flew up, my body was light. I looked at my surroundings and looked down. There lay my son, my hand rose to mouth as I tried to stifle a cry. He was even beautiful near death, Dr. Cullen stood nearby and I watched him.

He wheeled my body to the morgue, but I stayed with Edward, watching him. Dr. Cullen came back, his face without expression. He began to wheel the cot away...I followed.

I watched as he took my son to the morgue, where my body lay...I watched as he lifted my son with ease, and took him to the back door...

When I saw him leaping to the rooftops, my heart felt light...I knew that my Edward would live, he would never get sick or die, and I was sure that Dr. Cullen would make sure that he was a good...so with one last look out the door and one last kiss, blown into the wind, I smiled and faded away, my last words were to Edward,

_'I love you...'_

I had set him free...and I wept no more.

_

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**Edward's POV**

Fire burned through my veins, piercing me to my very core. I had to be in hell...or worse. The fire ate at me, biting my innards, burning them. I grimaced and screamed from the pain. I fet my body change, my bones broke and reformed themselves. But then, a sudden coolness...and buzzing filled my head...My mind ached.

_'I love you...'_

The breeze kissed my forehead and I felt relief...

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**A/N: Well...did you like it? If you did, click REVIEW, if you didn't, click REVIEW anyway and tell me why you didn't...just no flames please...**


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